


it's feeling something like music

by Fives (janfives90)



Category: The Prom - Sklar/Beguelin/Martin
Genre: F/F, Music Shop AU, just a general little au, maybe I guess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-09
Updated: 2020-01-09
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:01:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22185283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/janfives90/pseuds/Fives
Summary: She makes a disgusted face. “Who’d wanna play a stupid flute?”“My grandpa could play any instrument in the whole store. It was like his superpower.” The girl absentmindedly plays another note on the guitar. “I can only sorta play the guitar, though. Gran said when I’m bigger maybe I can start learning more of them so I can try to be like Grandpa someday.”“That’d be really cool! You could teach me somethin’ other than the flute.”The girl mimics Alyssa’s disgusted look, and Alyssa giggles.
Relationships: Alyssa Greene/Emma Nolan
Comments: 3
Kudos: 66





	it's feeling something like music

_flute_

The music shop is quiet when Alyssa steps inside, right behind her mother. She walks as close as she can, shy, ducking her head to avoid having to make eye contact with the adults nearby.

“Stand up straight, Alyssa,” Mrs. Greene says sternly. “If you want to look around while I talk to Mrs. Nolan, that’s fine, but don’t touch anything.”

She thinks leaving her mother’s side is a terrible idea, but a soft sound from the back room draws her anyway.

There’s a girl her age sitting in one of the shelving units in the back room, holding a guitar and carefully playing it. Alyssa watches her, fascinated, until the girl lifts her head and freezes.

“Sorry!” Alyssa squeaks. “Sorry, I… I just… It was pretty.”

The girl blushes and shrugs. “Just tryin’. My gran showed me some stuff, but I don’t get it yet.”

Alyssa carefully makes her way over and sits next to her. “I like guitars, but my mom wants me to play a _flute.”_ She makes a disgusted face. “Who’d wanna play a stupid _flute?”_

“My grandpa could play any instrument in the whole store. It was like his superpower.” The girl absentmindedly plays another note on the guitar. “I can only sorta play the guitar, though. Gran said when I’m bigger maybe I can start learning more of them so I can try to be like Grandpa someday.”

“That’d be really cool! You could teach me somethin’ other than the _flute.”_

The girl mimics Alyssa’s disgusted look, and Alyssa giggles. She holds out her hand. “I’m Alyssa Greene.”

“Emma Nolan,” the girl says as she takes Alyssa’s hand in hers.

“Nolan? Like Mrs. Nolan out in the front?”

“That’s my gran.”

“I see her in church a lot. She plays the piano.” Alyssa tilts her head to the side. “I don’t see you, though.”

“I’m visitin’. Mom and Dad are on vacation.” Emma gives a strained smile. “They never take me.”

Alyssa pauses, frowning, and pats Emma on the knee. “Someday we’ll go on our _own_ vacation.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. If you teach me guitar.”

Emma laughs. “Deal.”

_violin_

“At least it’s almost a guitar,” Alyssa says glumly, holding the violin up high enough for Emma to see it over the webcam.

Emma laughs. “Sure. Kinda like my C+ in gym was _almost_ a B-.”

Alyssa frowns and sets the violin down. “You’ve never gotten a C in anything.”

“I know, I just…” Emma shrugs and takes her glasses off so she can rub at her eyes, and Alyssa can suddenly see a bruise on her face through the grainy video feed. “Whatever.”

“Em,” Alyssa murmurs. “Are you okay?”

Emma gives her a thin, tired smile. “I’m fine, Lys.”

Alyssa pauses, then opens up their chat box.

_No one found out about…?_

She sees Emma’s gaze drop a bit to read the message, and she sees a flicker of fear cross her face. Emma shakes her head. “No. No. I’m alright. Really, Alyssa, I am. You know how it is. Jocks and nerds, right?” She gives a laugh that sounds fake.

Alyssa nods. “Right. Just… promise you’ll tell me if anything’s wrong?”

“I swear I’ve promised you that every single day since we were six,” Emma teases. “Seven years of promises aren’t enough for you?”

“Nope!”

Emma sighs and shakes her head. “I promise, Lys.”

“Good. Now play your guitar for me.”

Emma grins and reaches over, lifting her guitar into view. “Only if you accompany me.”

“God, please, I don’t know anything on this except a poor rendition of ‘Amazing Grace’.”

“I can work with it.” Emma waves her fingers. “Get going, Greene, that violin won’t play itself.”

Alyssa sighs and lifts it to her chin. “I wish it would.”

_piano_

If the Nolan family music shop wasn’t the only reliable place to buy instruments within a hundred mile radius of Edgewater, Alyssa knows they wouldn’t be buying a piano there.

The whispers around town make her blood boil, the way everyone looks at Mrs. Nolan in church even as she holds her head high, continues to play, and refuses to back down from supporting her granddaughter just the way she is.

“Don’t wander too far, Alyssa,” Mrs. Greene says as they step into the store, and she feels like she’s a small child again, shy and uncomfortable, trying not to look at anyone as she walks around the store with her hands in her pockets.

She hears the music from the back office this time, a soft, gentle melody, and she follows it until she finds Emma sitting in a chair, her feet up on the desk, playing her guitar with her eyes closed.

Alyssa just waits in the doorway, listening for a while, until she softly says, “Emma?”

Emma jolts a bit and flinches, her hand raising almost defensively, and it makes Alyssa’s heart ache.

“It’s just me. It’s Alyssa.”

“Oh. Hi, Alyssa.” Emma rubs her forehead and yawns, and Alyssa can see what can only be described as pure exhaustion in her eyes. “I, uh… I wasn’t sure I’d see you. Wasn’t sure you’d want to see me.”

Alyssa closes the door behind her. “Em. I already knew you’re gay. Why would this change anything? It didn’t then, did it?”

“This is different.”

“It’s really not.” Alyssa leans against the desk and sets her palm against Emma’s cheek. “I’m sorry. You deserve better. You always have.”

“I’m here now. It’s better. I wish I could’ve been here sooner.” Emma smiles. “At least I could’ve had you.” She flushes adorably red. “Uhm. I-I meant as a friend.”

Alyssa’s fingers still the soft pattern they’ve been tracing against Emma’s skin. “What if… What if I wouldn’t have wanted it to be as a friend?”

Emma’s blush deepens. “What?”

“I think you know what, Em,” Alyssa murmurs. “I think a part of you knew _what_ before I did.”

Emma’s eyes widen, almost imperceptibly. “I… uh…”

“It’s okay. I’m glad I was able to understand it on my own terms.” She leans forward and presses a soft kiss to Emma’s forehead, and she hears the other girl’s breath hitch. “And I’m glad I had more time to understand how I feel about _you.”_

“Oh,” Emma whispers after a moment, as if it’s finally clicking for her.

_“Alyssa! It’s time to leave!”_

“Would you text me later?” Alyssa asks as she slowly lowers her hand from Emma’s cheek. “Please? We should talk. About a lot of things.”

Emma nods. “I will.”

Alyssa kisses her again, a soft, quick press of her lips against Emma’s cheek, and she heads for the door. As she heads for the front, she gets one last look of Emma, still seated, a dazed expression on her face, and she can’t help but grin.

_cello_

“Oh my God,” Emma laughs, pointing at something behind Alyssa through their laptop screens. “What the hell is _that?”_

Alyssa gives her a grumpy look. “You know damn well what it is, music store girl.”

Emma laughs harder, setting her head down on her desk.

“Are you done yet?”

“I’m sorry,” Emma wheezes. “I’m sorry. I just. Why do you have a fucking _cello?”_

“My mother still thinks I need hobbies, even when I’m at college,” Alyssa says dryly.

 _“A fucking cello?_ It’s bigger than your dorm room! At least it’s not a bass, but Jesus.”

“I think she’s getting desperate. I’d hope that after this she’ll just accept that I’m never going to be musically talented. At least she can fawn over you.” Alyssa sighs and leans back in her chair. “How’s the store doing?”

“Really well. We’re going to start hosting some local bands one night a week. Give them a place to play and hopefully encourage more people to get into music. I also talked to Gran about doing an afterschool program with some of the elementary kids since their music program got cut.” Emma runs her fingers through her hair. “The kids come in sometimes just for something to do, and it’s so much fun to talk to them. They just get so excited, you know? They want to learn; they just need someone to teach them.”

“Regretting not going to school for that education degree?”

“No. I’m happy where I am.”

“You _look_ happy, love,” Alyssa says.

Emma smiles. “Good. I’m enjoying just being in the shop. All I want to do is add to it a bit. Let the kids around here love music as much as I do.”

“I’m glad you are. You’re so good with them.” Alyssa gives a soft smile and murmurs, “God, you’ll be amazing with ours someday.”

Emma stares at her, looking a little shocked.

“Oh. Uhm. I-I…”

“You’d want that with me?” Emma whispers.

Alyssa gives a quiet laugh. “I want everything with you.”

Emma stares, long enough that Alyssa starts to think the screen is frozen. Then she sniffs and quickly rubs her eyes with the back of her hand. “Uhm,” she mumbles, her voice thick. “I want everything with you, too, you know.” Alyssa grins, but before she can respond, Emma smirks and adds, “Just maybe not a cello.”

“Oh, fuck you.”

_guitar_

Alyssa wakes with a discomfort she can’t identify until she reaches for Emma and touches only empty sheets. She opens her eyes, frowning, and sits up in bed to look at the clock on Emma’s nightstand.

Her frown deepening, she slides out of bed and puts her slippers on, then walks out to the living room.

Emma is sitting in the chair near the front window, her feet up on the ottoman, quietly playing her guitar.

“Hi,” Alyssa says, her voice hoarse. “What are you doing? It’s three o’clock in the morning.”

“I couldn’t sleep. Thought I’d watch the snow for a while instead.”

Alyssa picks up the guitar and sets it next to the chair, settling in Emma’s lap and resting her head against Emma’s shoulder. “It’s peaceful.”

“Mhm.” Emma brushes her hand slowly up and down Alyssa’s back. “I’m nervous,” she admits, her voice so quiet Alyssa wouldn’t hear her if they weren’t so close.

“About what, love?”

“Taking over the shop. I know it’s what I’ve wanted, but… It’s real now, and… I don’t know. It’s scaring me, I guess. I don’t want to let them down.”

“You won’t.” Alyssa presses a kiss to Emma’s cheek. “You know more about music than most of the music majors I met at school. If I went down to that shop and grabbed an instrument at random off the wall, you could tell me anything I wanted to know about it, and you could play it at least half-decent, too. You _are_ that shop, baby, just as much as your grandpa was that shop, just as much as your gran has been.”

Emma rests her head against Alyssa’s. “I do know that I’d never be able to do this if I didn’t have you.”

“Well, that’s fine, because you do have me, Emma Nolan. You’ll always have me.”

There’s a distant look in Emma’s eyes, a spark of fire, as if she knows something Alyssa doesn’t. “I think I will. I hope so, at least.”

Alyssa laughs. “What does that mean?”

Emma shakes her head and smiles. “You’ll find out tomorrow. Er. Today, I guess.”

“Oh, fine.” She picks up the guitar. “In the meantime, you can show me how to play this.”

“Right now?” Emma asks with a laugh. “You waited until right now?”

“I was hoping you’d be smart enough to teach me sooner, but I need to do everything around here.”

Emma snorts and rolls her eyes. “Sorry. I thought you were busy learning every other instrument under the sun.” She coughs to pretend to cover, _“Badly.”_

Alyssa elbows her. “Now you’re _definitely_ stuck here until you show me, Emma Nolan.”

Emma turns her chin and grins at her, their noses brushing and mouths so close that Alyssa can feel the motion of Emma’s words against her lips. “Stuck here, huh? How tragically terrible for me.”

Alyssa rests their foreheads together. “Truly horrible.”

Emma turns Alyssa’s hip with her hand to get a better grip on the guitar. “Pay attention, love,” she murmurs. “You’ll miss the music.”


End file.
